Scholarships

90+ Unique Scholarships, Just ONE Application!

Applying for scholarships from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois is easier than ever! 
There is just one application and one deadline: the application opens on December 1st and closes February 1st, every year.

Access the CFNIL Scholarship Application Portal

Need help getting started? View the Scholarship Program Overview video below AND visit the Scholarship Resources page to learn how to apply!

2021 CFNIL Scholarship Program Overview video

 

 

 

 

 

 

CFNIL’s scholarship funds were created by donors that recognize the importance of helping students achieve their educational goals, now and in perpetuity. The funds’ creators selected the criteria based on their interests and the community’s need. Many of CFNIL’s scholarships are memorials, which celebrate the life and passions of individuals.

The diversity of scholarship offerings reflects the diversity of CFNIL’s donors and the communities it serves. The majority of scholarships are for current college students and graduating high school seniors in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties. Scholarships are available based on a variety of factors: community engagement; academic achievement; financial need; athletic participation; field of study; and many more. There are scholarships for non-traditional, minority, and first-generation college students. Nearly two dozen scholarships are available for students who have a high school diploma OR a GED — learn more on the Scholarship Resource page.

The applications are read and scored by committees of volunteers who use a “blind” review process and make recommendations to CFNIL’s Board of Trustees. Scholarship recipients are announced in late April. Awards are sent directly to the recipient’s post-secondary institution.

While the majority of the scholarship funds CFNIL administers are included in the application for the main scholarship cycle (open Dec. 1 – Feb 1 each year), several additional scholarships run on a different timeline or are administered by outside organizations. The first table below lists the standard CFNIL Scholarships. The second table at the bottom of the page lists the non-standard scholarships; click on each scholarship name for details on how to apply for these non-standard scholarships. 

Questions? Need help getting started? Contact Gabrielle!

Gabrielle Sims, Scholarship Associate
Gabrielle Sims
Scholarship Associate
Phone: 779-210-8209
Email: Gabrielle Sims

CFNIL Administered Scholarships

Status Scholarship Name Type Region Schools Deadline
Open Frances Grant Triebel Memorial NSDAR Scholarship Academics, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate U of I at Urbana-Champaign February 1
Open Fred Peterson, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Academics, Civic Engagement, Community Service, Current College Student, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate, Non-Traditional Hononegah HS February 1
Open Gary S. Wilmer / RAMI Music Scholarship GED Recipient, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate, Music Boone Co., Ogle Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Open Gene Bradford Memorial Scholarship Education, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate, Sciences Byron HS February 1
Open Geoffrey R. Laird Memorial Scholarship Academics, Current College Student, Financial Need, GED Recipient, Graduating High School Senior, Mathematics, Sciences Winnebago Co. February 1
Open Harry H. and Floy B. Chapin Scholarship Academics, Graduating High School Senior Dakota HS, Durand HS, Pecatonica HS February 1
Open Hazel Mortimer Hyde Memorial Conservation NSDAR Scholarship Academics, Conservation, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior Winnebago Co. February 1
Open Hegel Family Soccer Scholarship Academics, Athletics, Community Service, Graduating High School Student Hononegah HS February 1
Open Howard and Eithal Curry Elementary Education Recruitment Grant Education, Female, Graduating High School Senior, Teaching Boone Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Howard D. Colman Scholarship Academics, Computer Science, Engineering, Graduating High School Senior, Technology Boone Co., Winnebago Co. January 4
Open International Management Council (IMC) Scholarship Academics, Business, Community Service, Graduating High School Senior Winnebago Co. February 1
Open Irene K. Karsk Memorial Scholarship Community Service, Vocational Studies Pecatonica HS February 1
Open It's Up To Me Scholarship Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior, Students With Disabilities Boone Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Open Jack Lovejoy Vocational Scholarship Community Service, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate, Vocational Studies Hononegah HS February 1
Closed Jan Stringer Scholarship Financial Need, Medical, Medical Sciences, Nursing, STEM Boone Co., Ogle Co., Stephenson Co., Winnebago Co. Any post-secondary, Any public or private high school Not accepting applications in this school year
Open Janet L. Williams Mathematics Scholarship Computer Science, Engineering, Graduating High School Senior, Mathematics, Teaching Hononegah HS February 1
Open John D. and Melinda (Mindy) L. Stadel Scholarship Academics, Community Service, Graduating High School Senior Boone Co., Ogle Co., Stephenson Co., Winnebago Co. Any public or private high school February 1
Open John E. Lindley Memorial Swim Scholarship Athletics, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior Rockford HS February 1
Open John Flynn Memorial Scholarship Community Service, Graduating High School Senior Pecatonica HS February 1
Closed Jouris Family Scholarship Academics, Graduating High School Senior, Mathematics, Physical Sciences Winnebago Co. Not accepting applications in this school year
Open Karen and Robert Harter Recruitment Grant Current College Student, Education, Female, GED Recipient, Mathematics, Non-Traditional, Nursing, Sciences Boone Co., Ogle Co., Stephenson Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Open Keith Maffioli Scholarship Academics, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior Boone Co., Ogle Co., Stephenson Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Open Kjellstrom Women's Scholarship Initiative Female, GED Recipient, High School Graduate, Non-Traditional Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Larry and Betty McGee Scholarship Community Service, Computer Science, Current College Student, Engineering, Financial Need, GED Recipient, Sciences, Technology Winnebago Co. Not accepting applications in this school year
Open League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford Scholarship Academics, Civic Engagement, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate Boone Co., Winnebago Co. February 1

Other Scholarships